Help for aging eyes?

[Ray Dunakin]

I'm having more and more modeling-related problems with my eyes. My reading glasses are, of course, set for a normal reading distance, but I often need to get much closer than that when modeling. Other than having a special set of prescription glasses made just for close viewing, what are my options?

[finescalerr]

If you don't have astigmatisms then all you need is an Optivisor. If, like many of us, you do have astigmatisms, you may need corrective lenses ... and an Optivisor. Ten years ago I found I needed magnification even when working in 1:20.3 scale. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

I hate optivisors, so I just went to see my eye doc. and told him I needed some really strong prescrition lenses. we goofed around with the head mounted eye gadget thing till I found some settings/magnifications I liked (strong and stronger), and he wrote me scrips for them.  FWIW, I have found that the reading glasses you buy at the local drugstore and such, are generally very poor quality when compared to prescription lenses of the same magnification.

Marc

[Ronald]

...I have found that the reading glasses you buy at the local drugstore and such, are generally very poor quality when compared to prescription lenses of the same magnification.

There was a test here in the Netherlands recently on tv where these cheap glasses where tested. They found out that most of them where poor quality, lenses where fitted wrong, wrong center distances between the lenses, etc, etc. They advised to go to a good eye doctor (optrometist?) and let you suscribe good reading glasses.

I myself am 46 (almost 47) and have Multifocal glasses. But I also sensiting that the strength of the reading part can be much better. Most of my close modelling I have to do without glasses at all (because I have normal and reading in one set my eyes can see very close without any glasses at all).

Oh those aging problems.......

[SandiaPaul]

I like the optivisor...mostly. I do like that you have focal length options by combining them with your reg. glasses or without. I have 3 of them, 2 in in #3 and one in a #7.
I will say that every time I bang the thing into one of my lamps it drives me crazy.

Paul

[DaKra]

There are two, slightly different types of Optivisor, I have both.  The cheaper one has a plastic lens and a simplified headband.  The more expensive has glass lens and a better headband with padding and an adjustment screw at the rear.    I found it was worth the extra expense.   I also have the LED headlamp set for it, but it adds weight and is more a nuisance than a help.   

I'm always looking for optical aids, have a small pile of unused ones.  So far the Optivisor is the best.     

I also have a 10x - 20x stereo microscope, which isn't much help for model building, even for the extreme miniatures I do. Sometimes I use it as a troubleshooter when a certain material doesn't laser-cut properly.  The price on microscopes has come way down over the years.  For the price its also a fun toy.   

Dave

[Philip Smith]

I use and like the optivisor. The only complaint is the tightening knob on the left constantly unscrews. Fixed it with a wing nut from a hardware store after I found the original knob on the floor..realized what it was after discarding it..duh

philip

[Mr Potato Head]

I too just went for my annual eye exam and I asked about "modeling Glasses" and my Doc said that he could make me up any strength lens that I wanted, he had a pair in his drawer and they were pretty cool. He said about $100 for a pair of lenses plus frames. They also have better quality "readers" for sale, better than "wallyworld" stuff. My Son is in Dental school and we were at an event last week and we went into their lab, he opened his drawer at his work station and pulled out a pair of glasses with powered lenses on a clear half face mask head gear, and they were lightweight and 2X and 4X power, I said "Cool" where can I get a pair? He said the school issued them and they were part of his "lab Supplies" and he was only billed $1200.00! douh,............ guess the $150-200 ones don't sound that bad?
Gil

[W.P. Rayner]

I too have an optivisor and use it occasionally though I find it cumbersome, awkward and clumsy. Like the other Paul, I'm constantly banging it into one of my task lamps or the drill press or the mill. More often I use magnifiers that attach to my glasses which are much less obtrusive, but until I fabricated a more rigid mount, were frequently slipping off the glasses frame at the most inopportune moment. They're a bit fiddly to set up the first time, but once you get the lense position set correctly, they work a treat. They are only for one eye and should be used on your dominant eye. The other aids I use are jeweler's loupes. I have several ranging from 2X-10X and actually find these to be the most useful. Once again they are only for one eye, your dominant one, so that takes a little getting used to, but having used them for years now, I've grown quite comfortable with them. Their focal range tends to be quite short so you need to get up close and personal with your work when using them. Like anything else, beware of cheap knockoffs - you want a good quality lense otherwise you're wasting your money and time.

My dentist has the ideal setup. He has a very expensive pair of Zeiss magnifying glasses, equipped with LEDs, that are perfect for the job but way beyond my budget. I tease him every time I'm in that I'm going to steal his one day when he's not looking...  

Paul

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I should talk to my eye doc next time I get my eyes checked and my prescription updated.

[Chuck Doan]

[eTraxx]

I like the idea of some prescription glasses specifically to get 'close and personal' as Marc was talking about. For now .. being extremely nearsighted .. I simply work without any glasses up close. Interestingly .. read that .. that's how fine detail was done in the past .. nearsighted artists.

[Mobilgas]

At 56 i guess I'm lucky i wear glasses but don't need them for close-up work.  I have a old hand held magnifying glass i use..... and a Fluorescent desk lamp that has a large magnifying lens built in with lights on each side and a stronger lens you can pop on over the other lens if you need to get real close

[Chuck Doan]

I do the same as Ed, no glasses for up close work ('cept safety ones sometimes)

[narrowgauger]

Hi Guys

the most important consideration in this debate is simply that you only ever get one pair of eyes,  You don't get a second chance if you stuff-up the original pair.

this model builder fell for the cheap specs from the drug storeand promptly did irreperable damage.  this was compounded by using Optivisors which are even worse than the elcheapo over the counter specs because the lenses are set at the wrong angles etc.  The subsequent professional advice from a professor of opthomology was also simple:  prescription lenses or nothing.

I now use a pair of bifocal spectacles, prescription ground, with the upper lense set for my normal reading requirements and the inset at 5.6 magnification.  absolutely superb and worth their weight in gold.

My message is now also very simple, proper prescription, professionally ground lenses are not expensive, they are priceless.

have fun
Bernard